Rangers Ride on deGrom’s Recovery and Power Hitting to Overcome Angels

Jacob deGrom’s solid four-inning performance, capped by Wyatt Langford and Adolis García’s consecutive first-inning homers, powered the Texas Rangers to a 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night. Despite only recently returning from Tommy John surgery, deGrom demonstrated exceptional control, allowing just one run in four innings while striking out five.

deGrom’s Post-Surgery Comeback

The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner, who hadn’t appeared in the majors since April 2023, expressed his satisfaction with his rehabilitation progress. He admitted to some lingering mental hurdles but remained optimistic about reaching his peak form by spring training. His fastball was clocked at an impressive 98 mph against the Angels, further proof of his recovery.

deGrom’s Early Exit and Texas’ Future Prospects

While Texas manager Bruce Bochy had planned for deGrom to pitch for five innings, the right-handed star wrapped up his season after just four innings and 53 pitches, showing promise for the Rangers’ 2023 season. The team is eager to see a fully fit deGrom, who has been one of baseball’s best pitchers, back on the mound next year.

Strong Offensive Showing by the Rangers

The Rangers’ batting lineup, which proved instrumental in their victory, saw Carson Kelly shine with a homer, a double, and a single. Marcus Semien added to the tally with his 23rd homer in the ninth, rounding off his three-hit night. Wyatt Langford and Adolis García’s back-to-back homers in the first inning set the tone for the game, with Langford’s blast being his seventh in September and his 15th in his rookie season.

Angels’ Struggles Continue

The Los Angeles Angels, who recorded a team-record 97th loss, are closing out one of the worst seasons in their history. They are now the team with the longest postseason drought, having not reached the playoffs for 10 years. Despite Reid Detmers’ career-high 12 strikeouts over five innings, the Angels could not overcome the Rangers’ offense and ended up losing their fourth game in a row.

Looking Ahead

The Rangers will look forward to a healthy deGrom and a more consistent season in 2023. In contrast, the Angels will need to regroup and rebuild after a disappointing season. As the MLB season winds down, both teams have crucial lessons to take into the offseason and will look to come back stronger and more competitive next year.